LISTENING 47 CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS ■ Practice active listening techniques, like using non- verbal responses. ■ Schedule listening skill builders into your study plan. ■ Go to places where English is spoken regularly. ■ Listen to radio or TV programs or go to the movies regularly. ■ Review how lectures are structured; listen to a lecture or long program. ■ Listen for idiomatic expressions in everyday conversation; look up those that you don’t know. ■ Main ideas are general statements that a speaker wants to say something about a topic. ■ Supporting details are specific examples and facts that back up a main idea. ■ Inferences are what a speaker suggests or implies but does not necessarily say. ■ Tone is a speaker’s attitude or mood expressed in speech. ■ If you are taking the computer-based exam, know its special features and the question types specific to that test. ■ Review the differences between the computer- and paper-based tests. 48 TOEFL EXAM ESSENTIALS QUIZ ANSWERS 1. c. 2. b. 3. a. 4. d. 5. b. 6. a. 7. d. 8. c. 9. d. 10. b and c. 11. a. 12. c. 13. d. 14. b. 15. 1. U.S. discovery of missile bases in Cuba 2. Kennedy’s public address 3. U.S. blockade of Cuba 4. Soviet removal of missiles 16. a. Chapter 3 Structure W hen you communicate in writing, you make a per- manent impression. When you talk, you may abbre- viate words, leave sentences unfinished, or use informal words and phrases, but when you write, you must fol- low the grammatical constructions of formal English. Admis- sions officers will want to know if you have the ability to express yourself clearly and correctly in written English—an essential skill in college. The structure section of the TOEFL exam measures your knowledge of English grammar and style. It presents you with sentences that you need to correct by filling in a blank or by identifying a grammatical error. The sentences will cover top- ics similar to those in college courses like history, biology, soci- ology, and art. However, you do not need to have specific knowledge of these topics to answer the questions in the struc- ture test. 49 50 TOEFL EXAM ESSENTIALS QUESTION TYPES IN THE STRUCTURE SECTION There are two basic kinds of questions on the structure section of both the computer-based and paper-based exams: ■ Sentence completion. This question type presents a sentence with a blank. From four possible answer choices, you will select the one word or phrase that correctly completes the sentence. Here are some examples: 1. The company had dumped waste into the river for years and it ________ to continue doing so. a. plans b. planning c. planned d. had planned 2. After the female emperor penguin lays a single egg, she gives them to her mate, ________ holds it in a fold of skin near his feet for a two-month incubation period. a. he b. who c. which d. while Answers: 1. c 2. b ■ Recognizing grammatical mistakes. In this question type, sentences will have four underlined words or phrases. You will choose the underlined word or phrase that is incorrect. Here are some examples: STRUCTURE 51 3. Frank Lloyd Wright, by designing the low-cost “Usonian” AB house in the 1930s, wanting to make American architec- CD ture more “democratic” and affordable to everyone. a. A b. B c. C d. D 4. A lack in vitamin D, which comes from fortified milk or AB sunshine, can decr ease the body’ s ability to absorb calcium. CD a. A b. B c. C d. D Answers: 3. c 4. a COMPUTER TEST VS. PAPER TEST You will find some key differences between the computer-based test (CBT) and the paper-and-pencil exam. Although the ques- tions will cover the same type of material, you will answer fewer questions about each on the CBT. The structure section of the CBT is also computer adaptive, meaning that the computer selects questions based on your ability level. Your first question will be of average difficulty. If you answer it correctly, your next 52 TOEFL EXAM ESSENTIALS question will be harder. If you answer incorrectly, your next question will be easier. Here is an overview of the differences between the two tests: Computer Test: Paper-and-Pencil: Structure Structure and Written Expression 15–20 minutes 25 minutes 20–25 questions 40 questions Computer adaptive: the Test takers answer the same level of difficulty of ques- questions. tions is based on each test-taker’s ability. Question types are mixed Question types fall into two together and presented sections: at random. Part A—15 sentence- completion questions Part B—25 questions in which you identify grammar mistakes Once you submit an answer, You can return to previous you cannot change it. questions and change your answers. Your score on the structure Your score on this section is section is combined with not combined with another your score in the writing part of the test. portion of the test. . tests. 48 TOEFL EXAM ESSENTIALS QUIZ ANSWERS 1. c. 2. b. 3. a. 4. d. 5. b. 6. a. 7. d. 8. c. 9. d. 10. b and c. 11. a. 12. c. 13. d. 14. b. 15. 1. U.S. discovery of missile bases in Cuba 2. Kennedy’s. tests: Computer Test: Paper-and-Pencil: Structure Structure and Written Expression 15 20 minutes 25 minutes 20 25 questions 40 questions Computer adaptive: the Test takers answer the same level. level. Your first question will be of average difficulty. If you answer it correctly, your next 52 TOEFL EXAM ESSENTIALS question will be harder. If you answer incorrectly, your next question will